abhorrent1:they eat rats there anyway don't they? So why do they care?

It's not that the meat was something they wouldn't eat, it's because rat meat isn't something you'd pay as much for as mutton. It's the mis-labling that's the issue. It'd be like a butcher selling rump roast, and calling it fillet mignon, and charging fillet mignon prices.

lockers:abhorrent1: they eat rats there anyway don't they? So why do they care?

Do they, or is that just racist bullshiat?

It doesn`t matter. If there is even just a cluster of villages in a part of a province that eats rat, people will think the Chinese eat rats. Same thing with cats and dogs, both of which a vast majority of Chinese does not eat and finds disgusting.

What people don`t realize is that China is actually much more diverse than they think, especially across regions and economic levels.

You've got to read the labels... it's surprising how many food products from China, or from PRC (People's Republic of China) to try to disguise the fact, are making their way into North American grocery stores. I refuse to buy or consume any food product from China, or that the source is not labelled. Somehow when they poison their own countrymen including fake baby formula, I have little faith that they are somehow exporting top quality products.

Had a student from China who recalled his food issues in boarding school, where he would catch rats in the dorm and cook them over a lightbulb, as he couldn't afford other meat. He got a faraway look on his face as he described how tender the meat was, even if there wasn't much of it.

Fallout Boy:lockers: abhorrent1: they eat rats there anyway don't they? So why do they care?

Do they, or is that just racist bullshiat?

It doesn`t matter. If there is even just a cluster of villages in a part of a province that eats rat, people will think the Chinese eat rats. Same thing with cats and dogs, both of which a vast majority of Chinese does not eat and finds disgusting.

What people don`t realize is that China is actually much more diverse than they think, especially across regions and economic levels.

Yeah. The same could be said about the US. I doubt there is any kind of animal we don't eat in the states, despite what we believe.

skozlaw:Bear meat, for example, is simply outright offensive to basically every sense and people who say otherwise are damned fools.

/ and I challenge them to a duel

challenge accepted. you just need to know how to deal with it. you're not going to cook a herd encrusted bear ternderloin but it can be good in soups, stews, chili, as ground meat and paired with the right sauces.

its also important to know where the bear came from. don't eat a bear that you shot in your backyard. its probably been dumpster diving. if you're going to hunt bear for food, you need to do it in an isolated area. also, i would advise not eating bear if its been killed and prepped by someone else... you need to get bear into the freezer quickly because its already a gamey meat. if it hunt in 40 degree weather for 3 days at a camp in direct sunlight, the gamey-greasy flavor is going to become un- wait for it- bearable

Fallout Boy:lockers: abhorrent1: they eat rats there anyway don't they? So why do they care?

Do they, or is that just racist bullshiat?

It doesn`t matter. If there is even just a cluster of villages in a part of a province that eats rat, people will think the Chinese eat rats. Same thing with cats and dogs, both of which a vast majority of Chinese does not eat and finds disgusting.

What people don`t realize is that China is actually much more diverse than they think, especially across regions and economic levels.

Yup. And if you eat commercially farmed pig you might as well eat a sewer-dweller. Squirrel, groundhog, and possum are worth eating too.

What counts as food is usually culturally determined: I've read of starving Ethiopeans who wouldn't eat donated rice because it's not really food to them. "I'll eat grass and mice before I'll eat THAT." See e.g. here.

GoldDude:You've got to read the labels... it's surprising how many food products from China, or from PRC (People's Republic of China) to try to disguise the fact, are making their way into North American grocery stores. I refuse to buy or consume any food product from China, or that the source is not labelled. Somehow when they poison their own countrymen including fake baby formula, I have little faith that they are somehow exporting top quality products.

Fallout Boy:lockers: abhorrent1: they eat rats there anyway don't they? So why do they care?

Do they, or is that just racist bullshiat?

It doesn`t matter. If there is even just a cluster of villages in a part of a province that eats rat, people will think the Chinese eat rats. Same thing with cats and dogs, both of which a vast majority of Chinese does not eat and finds disgusting.

What people don`t realize is that China is actually much more diverse than they think, especially across regions and economic levels.

Which is why I always refer to North Korea when I talk about eating cats, rats, and dogs. Oh, and occasionally, Jamestown.

Bear meat, for example, is simply outright offensive to basically every sense and people who say otherwise are damned fools.

I've never tasted bear. Where can I buy bear meat near Lexington KY?

Not driving seriously limits my culinary choices: usually I don't see roadkill it's been squashed flat, and of course it's usually squirrel & possum.

By the way, I just looked shiat up: it's legal to shoot and trap wild pigs and ground hogs year-round, and you can shoot coyotes year-round but you can only legally trap them in the winter. But for those you do need a hunting license. OTOH you don't need a license to "hunt rats, mice, moles, shrews and terrestrial invertebrates (such as worms or insects), except threatened species," and you can do so year-round. People hunt worms & bugs?!? What counts as "hunting" in that case?

My neighborhood "ghetto grocery" sells beef labelled Product of Mexico. Some people won't eat it but I glady do; anyway I have no idea where Kroger and Wal-Mart get their meat.

I've eaten preserved duck eggs from China bought at the Oriental; grocery. They looked like they were really some kind of egg anyway, but I don't know what melamine and lead taste like. Maybe would be better to not do it again.

Fallout Boy:What people don`t realize is that China is actually much more diverse than they think, especially across regions and economic levels.

When it comes to the Chinese, a "small group" of them is 50 million people.China is the businessman's paradise, a cautionary tale of the "free market".

GoldDude:You've got to read the labels... it's surprising how many food products from China, or from PRC (People's Republic of China) to try to disguise the fact, are making their way into North American grocery stores.

Honey is one of the big ones that you need to watch for. China uses some ultra filtration to remove pollen particles that identify it as Chinese and such. Most of the big brands use the Chinese crap because it's cheap, but as you might suspect the quality takes a hit. The pollen in the honey is a source of nutrition and if I remember right, offers other benefits like minor allergy resistance or some other crap I can't remember right now.

groppet:tlchwi02: kdawg7736: I never trust any products from China anymore. Heck people tell me they never eat their food because it could be cat. Well at least their buffets are good.

yeah, best case scenario its a piece of crap. worst case its a piece of crap and it gives you cancer.

I was suprised at how many spices in the spice aisle are from China. I check now and if its from there I just assume that it is full of lead and other unhealthy stuff

the chinese middle classes themselves spend a lot of their new found money and time making sure to get food for their children that is sourced from other countries. Heard a fascinating piece onf NPR about how they will spend hours going to hong kong every week to buy non-chinese baby formula (the chinese government made it illegal to bring or ship more than 2 packets of formula at a time from outside of the mainland.) Family memebers in NY will go once every other day and ship them 2 packets of formula to make sure they have enough. If the chinese themselves who live with the stuff will go to such lengths to avoid it, you can bet i will follow their example!

I remember an article on npr or someplace a few years back about these country folk liked to eat squirrels, but it was giving them some kind mad cow type disease. (insert pun here). just watch a few episodes of bizarre foods to see americans eat the most repulsive sh*t. (to me). if the meat is handled safely what difference does it make? it's a cultural thing. I figure as long as you don't sell me a pinto and say it's a Cadillac, i'm good. we look at dogs and cats as our little friends. but have a heart attack home alone and see if a week later EMS doesn't find you on the floor with no face. but fluffly will be doin' just fine.meat is meat, so shut up and eat your horse (if you want any pudding)

God-is-a-Taco:Fallout Boy:What people don`t realize is that China is actually much more diverse than they think, especially across regions and economic levels.

When it comes to the Chinese, a "small group" of them is 50 million people.China is the businessman's paradise, a cautionary tale of the "free market".

GoldDude: You've got to read the labels... it's surprising how many food products from China, or from PRC (People's Republic of China) to try to disguise the fact, are making their way into North American grocery stores.

Honey is one of the big ones that you need to watch for. China uses some ultra filtration to remove pollen particles that identify it as Chinese and such. Most of the big brands use the Chinese crap because it's cheap, but as you might suspect the quality takes a hit. The pollen in the honey is a source of nutrition and if I remember right, offers other benefits like minor allergy resistance or some other crap I can't remember right now.

China produces fake honey ("honey analog") from cheaper sugar sources. There are tests to detect it, but a lot probably still makes it through the system.I buy my honey from a local apiary. It costs more, but that's because it's real honey.

God-is-a-Taco:Fallout Boy:What people don`t realize is that China is actually much more diverse than they think, especially across regions and economic levels.

When it comes to the Chinese, a "small group" of them is 50 million people.China is the businessman's paradise, a cautionary tale of the "free market".

GoldDude: You've got to read the labels... it's surprising how many food products from China, or from PRC (People's Republic of China) to try to disguise the fact, are making their way into North American grocery stores.

Honey is one of the big ones that you need to watch for. China uses some ultra filtration to remove pollen particles that identify it as Chinese and such. Most of the big brands use the Chinese crap because it's cheap, but as you might suspect the quality takes a hit. The pollen in the honey is a source of nutrition and if I remember right, offers other benefits like minor allergy resistance or some other crap I can't remember right now.